Arizona silver belt., 1887-09-03
AIvan Clark, fIsc Telescope Maker.
[From the Boston Herald l

reputation as a practical astronomer and manufacturer of telescopes, anc who has been a resident of Cambridge for the last ffty-two years, died yes terday morning at his home, 18= Brooklyne street, aged s years anG 6 months. Up to the close of hi; long and useful life he had been an active, thorough business mar, his main thoughts being centered in the busi- ness in which he had so successfully been engaged for nearly half a century, Allied with his business capacity he possessed rare hmechani- cal faculties and a wonderful con- structivo ability, this triple com bination enabling him to attain an ex- cellence far beyond all others of his calling. Through his enlarged and practical efforts he has given to the world the largest and most powerful astronomical instruments ever con structed, the direct results belng the discovery of celestial bodies hereto fore unknown to science, many of which were discovered by him. From New York to St. Petersburg, and in every civilized country in the world the name of Alvan Clark, of Gam bridge, is a familiar one among sciell- lists, and the intelligence of his death will he received with deep regret.
 # *
 The business of manufacturing tel escapes was first conceived by the eId- est son, George B. Clark, who while in college at Andover, read treatise on Casting and Grinding the Specu- lum," the result of that reading being an attempt to make telescope. He went to Cambridge and told his father of his intention, showing him what he had already accomplished. The father at once became interested in the ex- pertinent and entered into it with his whole soul. In speaking of that time years after, the old gentleman said: q thought I would learn it, so as to teach the work correctly to George. They worked together at the ezper- iment, and succeeded in making an instrument, and G2m this small be- gining the glorious success was ac- complished which has brought to them ! fame and wealth. *
 One of the greatest discoveries made by the Clarks was that of the compan- ion of Sirius. For this they received from the French Academy of Arts and Sciences the award and a gold meda and S120 in gold. In 1850 Mir. Alvar Clark went to Europe and spent . great deal of his time with Mir. W. B Dawes, the English astronomer. anC while in his observatory discovered g new star, now known as companion tC "99 Hercules" MT. Clark afterwarC had an extensive correspondence witt ! Mr. Dawes and spoke of hls connec ton with him as the closest friendship of his life. Soon after his return iron Europe in 1860 he received the frs order for a large telescope in thi country from the University of His sisslppi, the glass being 184 inches The war of the rebellion being lnau gurated before 1t was finished, thr Southern college was unable to pur chase it and it was afterwards sold t the University of Chicago. This wa the glass by which the companion 0 Sirius was discovered. Then fol lowed the construction of two glasse of 26 inches each, one being dispose, of to the University of Virginia anC the other placed in tbe observatory a
 Washington. With the latter instru ment Prof. Hall discovered that tn, planet Mars had two satellites, and re ceived the award for the greatest as tronotn4eal achieyement-nf- tta2at year l It 1879 the fame of the Ciarks hac travelled beyond the ocean, and tn
 Car of Russia sent an order for 30 inch glass. The greatest achievement by this celebrated firm was the manu facture of a 36-inch glass for the Licl observatory in California, It being tn
 largest and most powerful lnstrumen in the world. Several years wer spent in its construction.
 In recognition of hIs great success degrees have been conferred upon Nil Clark by tie Universities of Harvard Amhurst, Princeton and Chicago. H
 was emphatically a self-made man, al the education he ever received bern, in the public schools Of Western Mass achusetts. Not long since he said T owe largely my recognition by tn sclentifc world to Mr. Dawes. l had as 1 thought, with one of my telea copes discovered several new doubl stars. wrote to Dawes, asking hir to verify my observations. He an swered that they were real discover
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